Reckless and Brave

V. Back in Black

(Image of Holly, age 13, above)

Five Years Later

Dean: 20
Sam: 15, almost 16
Holly: 12, almost 13

Setting: Denver, Colorado. February 3, 1998

Holly picked up an old leather journal. She noticed two capital letters. HW. She didn't know who it stood for, but since it was her dad's, her interest was piqued.

She looked around the motel room and saw no one. As she was about to open the journal, Dean walked out from the bathroom and snatched the journal from her hands.

"What do you think you're doing with that, Holly?" He growled.

Holly stepped back from her brother's glare. "I just wanted to read it."

Dean sighed and shook his head. "No. No, you really don't."

She made her way to the bed and sat down, knowing she'd been caught red-handed.

Sam walked into the room and said, "So, Dad found out where the werewolves are."

"Sam!" Dean cried. "Not in front of her!"

He glanced at his sister and shrugged slightly. "Might as well. She would've found out sooner or later."

Holly looked between her brothers before focusing on Sam, pure terror on her face. "Found out what?"

Sam ignored Dean's glares and replied, "Dad, Dean, and I are hunters. But we don't hunt normal stuff. We hunt things that go bump in the night. Things like ghosts, shapeshifters, werewolves, that sort of thing."

Holly's eyes widened and she shrieked, "Monsters are real?! No, no! I--I--"

She ran to the opposite end of the room and sat in a corner holding her head in her hands.

Dean glared at his brother. "Nice going, Sam. You scared the crap out of her. She's never gonna be the same and that's your fault."

The next morning, the boys noticed a change in Holly's attitude. She wasn't as light-hearted as before. Sam noticed she was more like Dean. Her blue eyes held a calculating, cruel look which was scary to see in such a young girl.

Bobby's House. Sioux Falls, South Dakota. February 28, 1998

"Dad?" Holly asked as John opened the door. "When can I go on a hunt?"

John narrowed his eyes. "How did you find out about that?"

"Sam told me. He slipped up and told me what he was hiding."

John let out a sigh. "I suppose you can go out and get some practice. Have Bobby help you learn to shoot and teach you lore. Sam and Dean will quiz you when we return. We shouldn't be more than a day or two."

He kissed her forehead, profoundly disappointed in Sam. He noticed a dark look in her eyes; similar to Dean's. She'd always been like her eldest brother, and now he wasn't sure that was a good thing. Perhaps if she had a softer personality like Sam.

They left and Bobby followed the teen outside. "You don't have to do this, kid. You still have a chance for a good life."

Holly shook her head. "No, I don't. The only way this can be over is if Mom came back. But she's gone for good. Look, I'm here to train, so train me."

Bobby sighed. "Okay. You know how to load a shotgun, right?"

Holly nodded. "Point and aim it at the target." Bobby pointed to a target about 20 feet away.